Longitudinal expansible shoe tree with adjustable locking means



D. MACKAY 2,699,561 LONGI'IUDINAL EXPANSIBLE SHOE TREE WITH ADJUSTABLE LOCKING MEANS Filed Nov. 9, 1953 Jan. 18, 1955 IN V EN TOR. DONALO .MAC/(AY BY mf wfi A TTO/PNEYS United States Patent LONGITUDINAL EXPANSIBLE SHOE TREE WITH ADJUSTABLE LOCKING MEANS Donald Mackay, Douglaston, N. Y.

Application November 9, 1953, Serial No. 390,903

6 Claims. (Cl. 12128.6)

important in preserving the shape of a shoe that the two members be positively retained in horizontal alignment so that deformation of the shoe will not occur.

It is an object of the invention to construct a shoe tree pressed downwardly into the heel of the shoe.

having a hinge which is cheaper to manufacture and yet positively supports the heel member in horizontal alignment with the toe member when mounted in a shoe.

Another object is to construct a shoe tree having a hinge of fewer parts yet which maintains the heel portion in positive horizontal alignment with the toe member when inserted in a shoe.

A still further object is to construct a hinge for a shoe tree which is essentially one member yet retains the toe and heel members in horizontal alignment.

Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the shoe tree with its adjustable hinge;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the central portion of the shoe showing the hinge and with parts of the toe and heel members in section;

Figure 3 is a top view of the central portion of shoe tree at the hinge; and

Figure 4 is a side view partially in section of another form of hinge.

The shoe tree includes a toe portion 10 which may be of wood, plastic, metal or other suitable material. The toe member carries groove means shown as a pair of spaced parallel grooves 11 which extend inwardly from the parting face 12 and the upper face 13. A heel member 14 is also made of suitable material and it carries groove means shown as a pair of spaced parallel grooves 15 extending inwardly from the upper face 16 thereof and from the parting edge 17. The grooves 16 are relatively long for adjustment of the length of the tree as will appear more fully hereinafter.

An adjustable hinge connects the toe member and heel member together so that the shoe tree may be adjusted to any desired length, The hinge 20 includes a web and flange means which flange means is received in the groove means of the toe and heel members. Preferably the flange means is a U-shaped member having a pair of spaced longitudinally extending flanges 21 bent down from the sides of the hinge or web and a flange is received in each of the slots 11 of the toe member and in the slots 15 of the heel member. The flange means or flanges carry a hole 22 adjacent one end thereof and the toe member carries a hole 23 extending laterally therein and adjacent its parting face 12 through which a hinge pin 24 extends to hingedly secure the hinge to the toe member. The hinge pin particularly illustrated may be a common nail, the point of which is driven into the end of the hinge hole to secure it in the hole.

The hinge is adjustably secured to the heel member in any suitable manner that shown being an elongated slot 27 in the hinge through which a clamping means such as a clamping screw or bolt 28 projects having a winged head 29. The screw is received in a threaded bushing 30 ice secured to the heel member 14. By unloosening the clamping screw the spacing between the toe member and the heel member may be adjusted as desired and held in adjusted position by tightening the clamping means. The flange means 21 of the hinge and the groove means 15 maintain the heel member in lateral alignment with the toe member.

It is important that the heel member be positively held in horizontal alignment with the toe member when the shoe tree is inserted in a shoe and the heel member is Unless such positive horizontal alignment is secured distortion in the shoe will occur and it will not be supported in its proper shape. Positive horizontal alignment of the heel member with the toe member is secured in a simple manner, one form of which includes locating the hole 23 for the hinge pin 24 sufliciently spaced from the parting face 12 so that a portion 33 of the central web of the hinge overlaps the upper face 13 of the toe member. This web portion is spaced horizontally from the hinge I pin so that the web portion does not interfere with pivoting of the heel member. When the heel member is pressed downwardly into a shoe the overlapping web portion.33 engages the face 13 of the heel portion and positively holds the heel member in horizontal alignment with the toe member. The forward edge 34 ofthe web or hinge also serves as a forward stop in that it engages the upper face 13 of the toe member when the heel member is hinged upwardly for removal of the shoe tree from a shoe and preliminary to inserting the shoe tree within a shoe. The hinge therefore in a single member provides a forward stop as well as a positive horizontal stop for maintaining the heel member in horizontal alignment with the toe member.

Another form of means for assuring horizontal alignment of the toe and heel members is shown in Figure 4 in which a stop is carried by the hinge which engages an abutting face on the toe member when. the heel member is in horizontal or straight position. The stop may be formed by bending a portion of the hinge such as the end 35 of the web of the hinge downwardly to form a downwardly projecting stop. The stop is long enough to reach below the hinge pin so that the parting face serves as the cooperating abutment or face. The upper corner of the end of the toe member is cut back so that the stop will be clear as it swings upwardly.

It is observed then, that the means to positively assure that the heel member is retained in horizontal alignment with the toe member when in a shoe, is a stop carried by the hinge which engages an abutment face carried by the toe member. This face preferably is the top face 13 or the parting face 12 of the toe member.

This invention provides an improvement in a shoe tree. It is understood that various modifications in structure, as well as changes in mode of operation, assembly, and manner of use, may and often do occur to those skilled in the art, especially after benefiting from the teachings of an invention. This disclosure illustrates the preferred means of embodying the invention in useful form.

What is claimed is:

1. A hinged shoe tree comprising a toe member having an upper face and a parting face and groove means extending from the upper face and parting face, the toe member having a laterally extending hinge pin hole in tersecting the groove means, a heel member having an upper face and a parting face and groove means extending from the upper face and parting face, a hinge having a web and flange means received in the groove means of the toe member and heel member, the flange means having a hinge pin hole adjacent one end thereof, a hinge pin extending through the toe member and through the flange means of the hinge, a stop carried by the hinge engaging an abutment face of the toe member to retain the heel member in alignment with the toe member when in horizontal position, and means to adjustably secure the hinge to the heel member.

2. A hinged shoe tree comprising a toe member having an upper face and a parting face and a pair of grooves extending from the upper face and parting face, the toe member having a laterally extending hinge pin hole intersecting the grooves, a heel member having anupper face and a parting face and a pair of grooves extending from the upper face and parting face, a hinge having a web and a pair of spaced flanges received in the grooves of th we m be an ee mem e the n s a n a h e, p le a jac t one. nd t er a in e p extending through the toe member and through the flanges of the hinge,"a stop carried by the hinge engaging an abutment face of the toe member to retain the Heel member in alignment with the toe member when in horizontal position, and means to adjustably secure the hinge to the heel member.

3. A hinged shoe tree comprising a toe member having an upper face and a parting'face and groove means extending from the upper face and parting face, the toe member having a hinge pin hole intersecting the groove means, a heel memberhaving an upper face and a parting face and groove means extending from the upper face and parting face, a hinge having a web and laterally extending flange means received in" the groove means of the toe member and heel member, the flange means having a hinge pin hole adjacent one end thereof, a hinge pin extending through the toe member and through the flange means of the hinge, a portion of the web of the hinge overlying the upper face of the toe member to form a stop, and meanst'o adjustably secure the hinge to the heel member.

4. A hinged shoe tree comprising a toe member having an upper flat face and a parting face and a pair of parallel spaced grooves extending from the upper face and parting face, the toe member having'a laterally extending hinge pin hole intersecting the grooves, a heel member having an upper flat face and a parting face and a pair of paralle spaced grooves te g from t e pper face and parting face, a U-shaped hinge having a web and a pair of spaced parallel flanges received in the spaced grooves of the toe member and heel member, each flange having a hinge pin hole therethrough adjacent one end thereof, a hinge pin extending through the toe member and through the pin holes in the flanges of the hinge, a portion of the web of the hinge overlying the upper flat face of the toe member to form a stop, and means to adjustably secure the hinge to the heel member.

5. A hinged shoe tree comprising a toe member having an upper face and a parting face and a pair of spaced grooves extending from the upper face and parting face, the toe member having a laterally extending hinge pin hole intersecting the grooves, a heel member having an upper face and a parting face and a pair of spaced grooves extending from the upper face and parting face, a U- shaped hinge having a web and a pair of spaced flanges extending from the edges of the Web and received in the spaced grooves of the toe member and heel member, each flange having a hinge pin hole therethrough adjacent an end thereof, a hinge pin extending through the toe mern: her and through the pin holes in the flanges of the hinge, a stop projecting from the hinge and engaging an abute ting face of theme member to retain the heel member in horizontal alignment with the toe member, and means toadjustably secure the hinge to the heel member.

6. A hinged shoe tree as in claim 5 in which the stop is the downwardly bent end of the web and the abutting face is the parting faceof the toe member.

No references cited. 

